Study effort in higher education : field experimental evidence with administrative and tracking data from Germany

This study investigates the impact of a low-cost, color-coded scale intervention designed to inform university students about the expected workload for a course, with the aim of improving students’ academic performance and learning behaviors. An initial intervention took place at the beginning of the course, with a follow-up reminder in the middle of the semester. Students who were treated once experienced no significant effect, but those who additionally received the second treatment significantly improved their course grade, scoring 0.51 points (or 21 %) higher on average. Heterogeneity analyses reveal that first-generation, migrant and high-ability students benefited most from the intervention, suggesting that such a treatment may help reduce some forms of educational inequality. To explore the underlying mechanisms, we utilized tracking data from an online learning platform through which the lecturer distributed course materials and provided opportunities for self-paced learning. While we find an overall increase in online activity following the intervention (though imprecisely measured), no specific academic behavior such as online test participation or material downloads can explain the ultimate increase in grades by itself.